


Be My Source of Gravity

by starrynightshade



Series: In a World Uncertain Say You'll Be My Stone [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arya Stark & Sansa Stark Have a Good Relationship, Based on a Tumblr Post, Best Friends, Child Abandonment, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Merry Christmas, Modern Westeros, Pining, Raising a child together, Roommates, Shocking I know, Unplanned Pregnancy, but it's tender, editing? we don't know her, not by A/G obviously, pure self-indulgence, single dad!Gendry, with louisa may alcott because reasons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 07:49:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 20,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21929998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrynightshade/pseuds/starrynightshade
Summary: Arya tries to swallow down the jealousy that bubbles up when she thinks of him with other women, long past the naive days of denying the way she feels about him to herself. She doesn’t have time for those feelings at the moment though, because she’s just figured out that there’s an actual human baby waiting for them at the other end of this trip and she needs to figure out how to help Gendry deal with that fact. She can’t tell which she needs to be more worried about, the fear, or the self-loathing.
Relationships: Arya Stark/Gendry Waters
Series: In a World Uncertain Say You'll Be My Stone [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1579327
Comments: 154
Kudos: 283





	1. Friday

**Author's Note:**

  * For [randifrnZ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/randifrnZ/gifts), [Weltverbessererin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weltverbessererin/gifts), [yanak324](https://archiveofourown.org/users/yanak324/gifts), [aryasbadbenergy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aryasbadbenergy/gifts).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For randifrnZ, who has been there for almost my entire Gendrya journey. Thank you for the constant support, and I hope you have a very happy holiday season!

_ They’re half asleep on the couch when he gets the call. Arya’s legs are tossed over his lap, drenched in the warmth of his hands and late afternoon sunlight, and she tries to ignore the way her heart stutters when he traces lazy patterns on her calves. They don’t talk about whatever it is that’s been hanging in the air between them for months now. She’s thinking about how easy it would be to say something, or do something, to disrupt the delicate balance when his phone starts ringing. By the time he hangs up, Gendry is in a frenzy so Arya grabs the keys to his car and simply asks where they need to be. _

_ He directs her to a hospital in a small town halfway across the state. In the two and a half hours it takes them to get there she manages to tease enough details from the nonsense he’s babbling to understand exactly what they’re walking into. He remembers the hookup, or at least the majority of it, about nine months ago. He can’t for the life of him remember her name. Jessica? Julia? The point is that they had both been moderately intoxicated at a hotel bar and, well, Gendry never claimed to be a saint. _

_ Arya tries to swallow down the jealousy that bubbles up when she thinks of him with other women, long past the naive days of denying the way she feels about him to herself. She doesn’t have time for those feelings at the moment, though, because she’s just figured out that there’s an actual human baby waiting for them at the other end of this trip and she needs to figure out how to help Gendry deal with that fact. She can’t tell which she needs to be more worried about, the fear, or the self-loathing.  _

_ There’s a surprising amount of waiting when they get to the hospital. Gendry has to give a DNA sample before they’ll even let him see the baby and Arya excuses herself to make a few phone calls because Gendry is  _ certain _ that this child he hasn’t even seen yet is his, and when Arya returns and sees the baby girl the nurse is placing in his arms, she is too. She has his adorable nose, his deep blue eyes, his thick black hair, even the same little dimple on her chin.  _

_ There’s no doubt in either of their minds that this is his daughter. Ages later the lab results come back and tell them what they already know. The next hour is spent in a conference room with an obstetrician, a pair of nurses from the neonatal unit, and one of the hospital’s lawyers.  _

_ The lawyer explains the legal implications of the situation and assures Gendry that if he decides to sign away his parental rights, there are plenty of wonderful couples who would be willing to adopt her.  _

_ “She’s mine,” he says a little louder than Arya thinks he means to. “I’m her father, I won’t sign anything like that.” _

_ The lawyer simply nods and goes into a breakdown of safe haven laws in their state and how they come into play in this scenario. Arya holds the baby while Gendry signs a few of the necessary forms and she can’t decide if she pities or hates the woman who had done this. She has two nieces and a nephew at this point, but she secretly thinks she’s never seen a more perfect baby in all her life and she can’t wrap her head around the situation someone would have to be in to walk into a fire station and hand such a perfect creature over with nothing more than a blanket and a business card with Gendry’s name and phone number on it. Eventually, as she hands the little one back to her father, she settles on pity.  _

_ “I’m not sure if you’ve had the chance to think of anything, but we’ll need a name to put on the birth certificate,” the doctor says gently. _

_ “Fuck, I dunno. You pick something, Arry.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “You’re sure?” _

_ He nods but doesn’t tear his eyes away from his daughter. “Yeah, you’ve got a knack for it, don’t you?” _

_ The name comes to her easily. Josephine, after Jo March, one of her favorite literary heroines. Meredith for her middle name, after Gendry’s mother. _

_ The doctor looks a little uncertain at Gendry’s willingness to hand the decision over to Arya, but goes to work typing it in. _

_ “It’s not too late to pick something else,” Arya adds hastily.  _

_ He shakes his head and finally manages to pull his eyes away from his daughter’s sleeping face. She’s horrified to see that he’s started tearing up. “No, that’s perfect. Thank you, Arya.”  _

_ When all the paperwork is done and all of Gendry’s many questions have been answered, they walk back to the car in silence, Josie fast asleep in the car seat that the hospital had given them. It takes a bit of wrangling to get the base fastened in like the picture shows, but eventually they manage.  _

_ When all three of them are buckled in and they’ve triple checked that the baby is warm enough, Gendry starts the car… and then promptly turns it right back off.  _

_ “I can’t do this,” he whispers to the steering wheel. “I’m not ready for this. I don’t have a crib, or clothes, or formula, or any of that stuff. What if I feed her the wrong thing and she gets sick? What if she sticks her finger in an electrical outlet? Oh my god, our place is totally not baby-proofed. What if she breaks her neck? What if she breaks another kid’s neck at school? Oh shit, she’s gonna have to go to school. Do we live in a good school district? Is there even a school close to the apartment? What if I-” _

_ “Gendry!” She rests a hand on his and it seems to help snap him out of it. The parking lot isn’t very well lit, but she can see the terror on his face clear as day. “We can do this. Jon and Robb are at the apartment right now, setting up a crib. Sansa’s bringing over a ton of Ellie’s old clothes and stuff, and the hospital gave us enough formula and bottles to tide us over for a while. She’s not going to be mobile for a few months, okay? We’ve got plenty of time to baby-proof everything and start looking for a new place if you want. She’s not gonna break her neck, she’s not gonna commit kiddie assault, and she’s not gonna be irreversibly fucked up, I promise. We can do this.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “We?” _

_ It’s only when he points it out that Arya realizes she’s said it. “Of course. You’re my family, which means she’s my family now too.” _

_ Gendry leans over the center console and hugs her so tightly that Arya thinks he might crush her.  _

* * *

  
  


“Yaya?”

Josie’s little voice pulls Arya from her thoughts and the memory dissipates. “Yes, Jelly Bean?”

The three-year-old pauses to pick a dandelion that’s sprouted up through a crack in the sidewalk. “I have a cookie?”

They begin walking forward again and Arya prepares herself for the usual negotiation. “You can have an apple when we get home.”

“Want a cookie.”

They round the corner onto their street. “After lunch,” Arya said resolutely. “But you have to eat everything on your plate.”

Josie seems to consider that offer as she drags her dandelion along the neighbor’s wrought iron fence. “Okay… two cookie.”

“One.”

“Ice cream?”

“One cookie.”

Josie makes a face. “Okay.”

Arya tries changing the subject before Josie can come up with another demand. “What did you learn about at school yesterday?” 

There are a handful of preschools in their area but the Montessori school a few blocks from their house had been Arya’s first choice. Josie only goes in the afternoons, until Gendry picks her up on his way home from work, but she loves it. It gives her a chance to play with other kids and meet new people. 

Josie thinks for a moment as they keep on walking, then remembers. “Whales!”

“You learned about whales?”

She nods excitedly. “They soooo big!”

“Do you know where whales live?”

“Underwater!”

Arya can’t help but grin at Josie’s excitement. “Yes, they live in the ocean. And do you know where we’re going tomorrow?”

“No.”

“To the ocean.”

Josie nearly drops the little yellow weed she’s been carrying for half a block. “I see a whales?”

“Maybe. We’ll have to watch the water.”

Josie keeps babbling excitedly about sea life as they get closer to home and Arya pulls out her keys. The old Victorian-style house is nestled in the historic district, on a tree-lined street that doesn’t see much traffic. It’s the last place she would have expected to find herself ten years ago, but it still feels like home.

Once they've made it inside and kicked off their shoes, Arya heads to the kitchen and gets to work on lunch. Josie is settled at the table in the corner with a coloring book and light spilling all over her and Arya wishes she could stop time. How is it possible, she wonders, that so much has changed over the last three and a half years?

* * *

_ Arya wakes with strong arms and Gendry’s familiar scent around her. Is she dreaming? The baby fusses in her crib as Arya tries to make sense of the situation. She must have fallen asleep in Gendry’s room after Josie’s last feeding, she realizes and pries her eyes open enough to read the alarm clock on his bedside table. _

_ 3:27 AM _

_ “I’ve got her,” Gendry mumbles, then suddenly the warm cocoon of his arms is gone. “Go back to sleep, Arry.” _

_ She wants to protest but exhaustion wins out. She hovers on the edge of sleep as Gendry changes Josie’s diaper, then swaddles her back in her blanket as if he’s been doing it for months, not days. He’s a natural at this, though she’s not surprised. He paces the room for a while, rocking her back and forth in his arms until her eyelids fall shut again. Even half asleep Arya can’t help the way her heart aches at the sight. The weight of loving him is going to crush her, she’s sure of it. She burrows deep into covers and tries to force herself back to sleep. _

_ The next time she wakes, it’s to the sound of Gendry’s alarm. She shuts it off before it can wake Josie and rolls over to see if Gendry is still asleep. He’s already sitting up in bed, rubbing his eyes as if that will somehow undo a week and a half of sleep deprivation.  _

_ “Hey,” she whispers.  _

_ He gives a half grin and runs his hands through his hair. “Hey yourself. Decided to crash with me last night?” _

_ “You didn’t seem to mind,” she says, trying to sound flippant. “Besides, makes a shorter walk to the crib.” _

_ “You really didn’t have to get up with her, you know.” _

_ She debates explaining to him for the thousandth time that she’s not going to leave him to do this all alone but settles on shoving his arm and telling him to get a shower in while he can. “I’ll go get her next bottle ready for when she wakes up. Kid’s got your appetite, that’s for fucking sure.” _

_ Gendry walks over to the bathroom and Arya shuffles out into the kitchen. They need a bigger place, she notes as she starts a pot of coffee. The living area is a disaster, nearly bursting at the seams with baby clothes that needed to be sorted through and huge boxes containing an array of products that Robert Baratheon had claimed were “essentials” as if he had any authority on the subject. _

_ Gendry’s father had never met a problem he didn’t think he could fix with money, and his relationship with his son had been no different. Gendry tried hard to make nice with Robert but Arya could tell that the way his father attempted to undo two and a half decades of absence with gifts and money rubbed Gendry the wrong way. He had always been self-sufficient and he took pride in the fact that he had worked his way through school and gotten a job at an up-and-coming company in the city. Everything he had was earned and he hated having things handed to him. _

_ Josie had apparently changed things. Gendry still didn’t want things for himself, but when a stroller that cost more than Arya’s first car appeared on their doorstep, Gendry had swallowed his pride and called Robert up to thank him. It had been the first of many such gifts and now the three of them are drowning in baby gear. _

_ Arya mixes up a bottle and tests the temperature on her wrist while the coffee pot fills. It’s a bit too hot but Josie’s not awake yet, so she sets it down and allows it to cool for a bit. This is the longest Josie has slept since they brought her home and Arya is tempted to check and make sure she’s actually breathing, but knows her phone will go off if anything is wrong. Another one of Robert’s gifts is wrapped around Josie’s foot, measuring her heart rate and oxygen levels while she sleeps and recording the data. Sansa had had one for Ellie when she was a newborn and swore it was the only thing that kept her from going insane with worry.  _

_ “Should we wake her?” Gendry looks much less like a zombie than he had fifteen minutes ago, having showered and changed into slacks and a black pullover.  _

_ Arya pours him a cup of coffee and shakes her head as she hands it to him. “Dr. Luwin says sleep begets sleep. She’ll wake up when she needs something.” _

_ He accepts the coffee cup but immediately sets it down on the island beside them in favor of gathering her up in his arms. He smells like eucalyptus and the cologne she secretly takes a sniff of when she misses him and she’s thankful she managed a shower after work last night when he buries his face in her hair and sighs. They lean into each other and Arya swears she can feel some of the stress and exhaustion leech out of both of them.  _

_ “You know you can tap out any time,” he says as he rests his chin on the top of her head, “right?” _

_ “You’re so stupid,” she mumbles against his chest, grateful that he doesn’t pull away. “I’m not going anywhere.”  _

_ He sighs again. “Thank you.” _

_ It’s all he says but she knows what he means. Thank you for not running away. Thank you for being there for the good and bad. Thank you for every middle-of-the-night bottle and diaper change. Thank you for being half of this team. _

_ She’s not sure how to respond, but Josie spares her the effort by crying from the other room and ruining the moment. Gendry turns to get her but Arya stops him. “My turn, remember? Have some breakfast.” _

* * *

“Alright, Josie Jo, let’s get you ready for school,” Arya says once they’ve finished eating and put their dishes in the dishwasher. Josie has cookie crumbs on her face, a grass stain on her shorts, and tangles in her hair from their trip to the park this morning. Arya sets the little girl on her hip and brings her upstairs, expertly navigating the safety gates at the top and bottom of the steps. Once they’re in the bathroom that Josie shares with Gendry, Arya gets to work cleaning her face and hands up. 

“Yaya, I go work today.” It wasn’t a request, more like a demand.

“Not today, Jelly Bean. You’re going to go to school and play with your friends, remember?” They walk into Josie’s room at the back corner of the house and Arya fishes out a new outfit for Josie and helps her change. 

Josie scrunches up her face in disapproval as Arya helps her into a short-sleeved dress that’s covered in polka-dots. “No, I go work.”

“Maybe some other time,” Arya promises and grabs the basket of hair supplies off of Josie’s dresser, along with an old etch-a-sketch, and leads Josie to her own bedroom at the front of the house. “You need to go to school today.”

“Why?”

Arya takes a calming breath as she sets Josie on her bed and pulls out the detangling spray. Soon the smell of apples fills the room and she is teasing the first of many knots out of Josie’s downy soft hair. “So you can learn and play with your friends.”

“No, I play  _ your _ friends,” Josie insists, ignoring the etch-a-sketch in her lap.

“You want to come play with my friends?”

Josie nods.

“They’re not really my friends, Jelly Bean. They’re my students. I teach them, like how Miss Heddle teaches you. What do you think Miss Heddle is going to teach you about today?”

“Whales,” Josie exclaims hopefully. 

She’s able to distract Josie by discussing deep-sea creatures for a while and manages to get the knots out of her hair and work it into a pair of braids. “Yaya has to go get ready for work. Can you wait here?”

Josie begins assaulting the knobs on the etch-a-sketch and nods, so Arya ducks into the en-suite to do her own hair, then pulls a set of clothes from the oversized closet. It’s more than she needs, but Gendry had insisted she take the master bedroom when they moved.

“It’s your house,” she had reminded him. “You should take it.”

“I insist. You didn’t sign up for any of this,” he’d said gesturing broadly to the chaos around them. “The least I can do to thank you is let you have your own bathroom. Besides, I’m sure you don’t want to be tripping all over bath toys every time you try to take a shower.”

In the end he had won by simply instructing the movers to take all the boxes labeled “Arya” to the bedroom at the front of the house while she was distracted by the electrician. Gendry and Josie took the bedrooms at the back, overlooking the small yard, and the room between hers and Gendry’s had been turned into an office. She’s almost certain she’ll find him in there when she returns home from the gym tonight, trying to finish as much work as possible before they leave for vacation in the morning. 

Fridays are one of her busiest days, so there’s no time to waste. Once they’re both ready, she grabs her work bag, water bottle, and dinner from the fridge, then herds Josie out to the car and buckles her into her car seat. Most of her music isn’t exactly age-appropriate and she refuses to give in and play those obnoxious, repetitive children’s songs so the solution is to tune the radio in the jeep to a classical music station. It’s a short drive to the preschool and Josie spends most of the trip looking out the window for people walking their dogs.

There are a few other kids arriving for half-day classes when they get there but Arya doesn’t have a hard time finding a place to park. Jeyne Heddle is already outside, supervising her class as they enjoy some outdoor time after lunch and waves when she sees Arya approaching with Josie’s hand in her own. She’s talking to a woman that Arya assumes to be a few years older than herself, presumably a parent of another student. 

They stop on the little path that runs parallel to the side of the building and Arya pulls Josie aside so she can crouch down and talk to her without disrupting Jeyne’s conversation. “Alright Josie Jo, Daddy will pick you up as soon as he gets done with work, okay? You be a good listener and do everything your teachers ask you to.”

“Okay, Yaya.”

Arya smiles at her. “That’s my girl. Now, are you ready to go play?”

Josie practically drags her the last few feet to the gate, all thoughts of joining Arya at work having been long forgotten. Jeyne pauses her conversation to let Josie through the gate and Arya winds up next to the mother she had been talking to. 

“Bye Yaya!” Josie barely spares her a glance before running off to join the kids on the slide.

“Bye, Jelly Bean,” she grins. 

“Hasn’t quite mastered the ‘m’ sound yet?” Arya turns to see the woman next to her watching Josie in amusement. 

“She’s pretty good at ‘m’ actually, it’s ‘r’ that she can’t quite get. Which is why I’m ‘Yaya’ instead of Arya.”

Jeyne has run off to manage a situation at the swing set, so Arya is stuck watching the other woman knit her perfectly plucked eyebrows together as she processes what Arya just said. “Sorry, I just figured she was trying to say ‘mama’ to you.”

It’s been more than three years and Arya still hasn’t figured out a good way to explain it to people. “Oh, I’m… Josie’s not my daughter.”

“Ah… it just seemed like… I shouldn’t have assumed…”

“No, I can see why you would. It happens all the time, honestly. Jeyne and Willow thought the same for the first three months Josie went here.”

The other woman extends her hand and it feels half like an introduction and half like a peace offering. “I’m Veronica. Veronica Hill. I’m Julian’s mom.” She indicates a little boy on the slide that shares her blonde hair and pointed chin. 

“Arya Stark,” she says, shaking Veronica’s outstretched hand.

She’s saved from the slightly awkward exchange by Jeyne reappearing and greeting her from the other side of the fence. “Arya! On your way to work?”

She nods. “Yeah, I’ve got to get administrative stuff done before classes start, plus there are still a few details to iron out before we leave tomorrow.”

“Right, you guys have that family trip planned! Josie will be gone all week.”

Arya nods her head. “Oh, I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it when we get back.”

“‘Well, I’ll look forward to it. She’s been really excited about the ocean unit we’re doing.”

Arya wishes she could stay a bit longer and talk about Josie’s newfound fascination with underwater creatures, but she has a lot to do before she’s ready to leave for a week. She concludes her conversation with Jeyne, promising she’ll take lots of pictures on their trip, then excuses herself.

“I should be heading out too,” Veronica says. The two of them walk towards the parking lot together in silence until she pipes up again. “I’m surprised Josie seems so comfortable with you. Most kids seem so awkward around step-parents.”

Arya manages a casual shrug, though her instincts are bristling at the direction of the conversation. She doesn’t ever bother correcting the other woman, not sure it’s worth the time it would take to explain their situation. “I got lucky, I guess. I’ve been part of her life since the day we brought her home from the hospital. As far as Josie’s concerned, we’ve always been family.”

She can tell there are a thousand new questions swimming in Veronica’s head and she’s glad they’re nearly to her car so she can avoid them. “Her father doesn’t let her see his ex? I mean, obviously you’re great with her it’s just… there are some things only a real mother can understand.”

Arya swallows down the fifteen different scathing responses that are all trying to bubble up at once and manages a terse smile. She reminds herself that this is the best preschool in the county and Josie will definitely get kicked out if she assaults someone in the parking lot. 

“The woman who gave birth to Josie gave up her chance to be a mother to her, and I try not to judge her for that. She may share Josie’s blood, but I was there for every late night and early morning. I do breakfast, bedtime stories, tea parties, and baths. I’m the person she wants to hold her when she’s tired, and the one she runs to when she has a bad dream. And no, I don’t have the same DNA as her, or the same last name, but I am every bit her  _ real  _ mom, whether I fit your definition or not.”

And with that she opens the door to her jeep and carries on her way to work.

  
  


* * *

_ She’s feeding Josie in front of the massive windows at her parents’ house when Sansa comes to sit beside her on the sofa. “It suits you,” her sister says, tossing her curtain of red hair over her shoulder as she gets comfortable.  _

_ Arya doesn’t even look up. “What does?” _

_ “This. Being a mom. I always knew you’d be great at it.” _

_ She still doesn’t look up, but this time it’s because she can’t. “I’m not her mom, Sans.” _

_ Her sister doesn’t seem convinced. “Right, you get up with her every night, feed her, change her, rock her to sleep, but some harlot who had her for all of a few hours is her mom.” _

_ “Sansa!” Arya shoots her sister an incredulous look. She of all people should be above slut shaming and name calling, having been the victim of a great deal of it with her first boyfriend. _

_ “I’m sorry, I just can’t believe someone could do something like that to such a precious little thing.” She strokes Josie’s cheek with the back of her finger and smiles at her.  _

_ “We don’t know what the circumstances were,” Arya reminds her. “We can only assume she did what she thought was best for Josie.” _

_ There’s a long pause. “Does he talk about her? Has he told you anything at all?” _

_ “It was a one night stand. They were drunk. He regretted it as soon as it was over and left. He doesn’t even remember her name.” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “Then how did she end up with his name and phone number?” _ _  
_ _  
_ _ “He was at the hotel for a work thing. He had a bunch of business cards in his pocket. One of them must have fallen out and that’s how she knew how to get in contact with him.” _

_ “But she didn’t. Nine freaking months and she didn’t once think ‘hey, maybe I should let that guy know I’m having his baby.’ Who does that?” _

_ Arya shrugs and shifts Josie to her shoulder, watching Gendry and Jon talk in front of the Christmas tree. Robert had invited him over for Christmas, but Gendry had declined, saying Josie was too young for such a long trip. To be fair, it was true, but she knew the excuse had brought him immeasurable relief.  _

_ “Sorry. This probably isn’t your favorite topic,” Sansa says almost shyly. “I’m sure the last thing you want to think about is Gendry screwing some other woman.” _

_ “He’s free to screw whoever he likes,” Arya says coolly. “He’s a grown adult and fully capable of making his own choices.” _

_ Sansa rolls her pretty blue eyes. “Right. So you’re not at all jealous that your best friend, the guy you’ve been secretly in love with for years, had a drunken one night stand and got another girl pregnant.” _

_ Arya knows she can’t look at Sansa because the truth will be written all over her face. Of course she’s jealous. She’s furious. She’s pissed that someone else got to have him in the most intimate way when it’s her that he trusts with his secrets and fears and dreams. But he isn’t hers to be jealous over, so she lies and saves her anger for the punching bags at the gym.  _

_ Sansa must be able to see right through her anyway because her next sentence hits Arya like a kick to the face. “He feels the same way about you, you know. You guys could be happy, if you ever let yourselves take the chance.” _

_ She’s about to explain all the reasons why that’s a terrible idea when Gendry walks over to them. “Robb says there’s a crib set up in your old room. I can go put her down for her nap.” _

_ “Don’t even think about it,” Arya warns, trying to sound playful so he doesn’t wonder about her conversation with Sansa. “My mom already called dibs on rocking her to sleep and there are, like, six people who want to hold her when she wakes up.” _

_ He looks uncertain, resting a protective hand on Josie’s little back, right between Arya’s. “She’ll be fine,” Arya assures him. “Go hang out with Jon, have something to eat, take a nap if you want.” _

_ “You’re sure your mom doesn’t mind?” _

_ “Are you kidding? She’s been dying for a hit of that new baby smell,” Sansa tells him. “It’s like crack to her.” _

_ Gendry lets out a little chuckle at that. “Alright but tell her I’m just downstairs if she needs anything.” _

_ Arya reminds him that Catelyn has done this a time or two and ushers him towards the stairs. He kisses Josie’s head before heading down and gives Arya a great full smile. _

_ “I’m first on the list to hold her when she wakes up, right?” _

_ Arya rolls her eyes at her sister. “Do you need a hit too?” _

_ “So bad,” Sansa confesses. _

_ “You’re not thinking of having another one, are you?” Both of them glance over to Ellie, who is playing with her cousins in front of the lavishly decorated tree. _

_ “I don’t know, maybe. Ellie’s almost two and… I don’t know. I guess I just can’t imagine her growing up without a sibling, you know?” _

_ “Well I know that having a younger sister made your life ten times better, so it’s only natural that you would want the same for your daughter.” _

_ Sansa rolls her eyes and Arya knows she would shove her shoulder if she weren’t holding Josie. “On second thought, I’ve reconsidered.” _

* * *

She’s still fuming from her conversation in the parking lot when Sansa calls. Arya hits “accept” on her phone and suddenly her sister’s voice is filtering through the car’s stereo system. “Hey, Sans. What’s up?”

“Just wondering when you guys would be here,” Sansa says. Arya figures she's already at the beach house getting the kids settled in and making big plans for the week ahead. 

“We’re driving out tomorrow morning, so we’ll probably get there around dinner time.”

“Hurry up,” her sister whines. “I miss you.”

Arya figures it’s only natural that her family feels more scattered. She and her siblings are all off making their way in the world, but she misses the closeness sometimes — the feeling that nothing can touch her because her pack is always nearby. Jon’s little family and her parents are close by, which is a comfort, but she misses the rest of her siblings between special occasions.

“I miss you too,” she admits. “Josie’s been learning about the ocean in school. She’s going to go nuts when she sees it for the first time.”

“I’m glad you finally convinced Gendry to come this year. You know you guys are bunking with us in the blue house, right?”

At the rate they were going, the Starks were going to have to rent the whole beach out in a few years. “I don’t think it’s really considered ‘bunking’ if we have a whole house,” Arya points out. “Who else is with us?”

“Just Rickon, unless he shows up with a surprise guest.”

Arya’s not surprised that everyone else is staying next door. The beach house that they’ve rented every summer since she was a kid is monstrous, dwarfing the cottages on either side of it. But even the massive house hadn’t been able to accomodate the Stark brood this year. They’ve finally outgrown the place, forcing a few people to spill into the little blue cottage next door. Apparently Arya, Gendry, and Josie are some of those people.

“I wouldn’t put it past him,” Arya says, then pauses. “Hey Sans, you wouldn’t happen to know if Robert’s coming out, would you?”   
  


“No, I haven’t heard anything about him stopping by. Why? Have you?”

Arya shakes her head, then remembers that Sansa can’t see her. “No, I just figured I’d ask. He has a way of popping up at inconvenient times.”

Sansa laughed on the other end of the call. “Like a human cold sore? I thought he and Gendry were doing better these days.”

“Yeah. I mean, he offered Robert a clean slate after Josie was born, but…”

“Doesn’t exactly make up for everything he missed, does it?”

Arya sighs. “Not really, no. Hey, I just pulled in to work so I’m gonna have to let you go. Talk to you tomorrow?”

“You’d better.”

The sisters say their goodbyes and Arya heads into the gym, trying to push thoughts of Gendry’s father from her head.

* * *

_ He’s sitting on the floor when she gets home, back against the sofa and head in his hands. They’re in the middle of packing and the apartment looks like a bomb went off, exploding baby clothes and disassembled furniture all over the living area. She slips her shoes off and drops her bag by the door, causing him to lift his head.  _

_ “You’re home early,” he says, scrubbing at his face, though it’s futile. She can tell that he’s been crying.  _

_ “Syrio took over my last class,” she explains as she navigates the maze of boxes and furniture between them. “He said I looked like the walking dead, so… you know, big confidence boost.” _

_ She settles next to him on the floor, centimeters apart from one another, but not quite touching. He needs her near right now, that much seems clear, but he has to be the one to reach for her. She rarely sees him so vulnerable and she doesn’t want to push him. _

_ “Ignore him,” Gendry says. “You look fine.” _

_ “Wow, high praise,” she scoffs “I guess it’s better than zombie, though.” _

_ “Sorry, let me correct myself. You look more beautiful tonight than any other woman in the world, nay, the galaxy.” _

_ “Even that hot alien girl from Doctor Who?” _

_ “Yes, even her.” _

_ They both chuckle and Gendry leans into her the slightest bit, letting their shoulders touch. “Do you want to talk about it?” _

_ He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “You know that’s not exactly my strong suit.” _

_ “I know.” She waits for him to speak anyway. _

_ “I just… I swore to myself I’d be better than him, you know? I never wanted to be like Robert. I fucking hated him. Turns out we’re cut from the exact same cloth.” _

_ Arya rests a hand on his arm, waiting for him to look up at her. When he does, his eyes are bloodshot but dry. “You and Robert are nothing alike, I can promise you that. What do you think he would have done if you or Mya, or Bella, or Edric had been given up like Josie was? Not this, that’s for fucking sure. Your father was never there for you, and you have every right to be upset about that, but the fact that there’s a baby sleeping in your room right now tells me everything I need to know about who you are.” _

_ “And who is that?” The way he says it is half desperation and half apprehension.  _

_ “A good man,” she says, smiling softly. “And a really great dad. Josie is lucky to have you.” _

_ “She’s lucky to have you too,” he says, bumping her knee with his. “We both are.” _

_ “I’m glad you feel that way because you’re both stuck with me.” _

_ Gendry sniffles and tosses his arm over her shoulder. “No one I’d rather be stuck with.” _

_ There are a dozen things the two of them should be doing, but all of it can wait a little while longer. In this moment, nothing matters as much as the way Gendry’s heartbeat makes her feel like they’re the only two people on Earth. Nothing can hurt them. _

* * *

She’s eating dinner at her desk when Gendry texts her. 

**_Gendry: Hope you’re having a good night so far! Jo and I just got home. Anything you need me to do before we leave tomorrow?_ **

**_Arya: So far so good! Mind running a load of laundry? Her shorts from this morning are soaking in the laundry room._ **

**_Gendry: Can do. Anything else?_ **

**_Arya: Nope! Bags are all packed and ready to go. We can leave right after breakfast._ **

**_Gendry: LMK if you think of anything else. I’ll see you when you get home!_ **

**_Arya: I’ll be there around 10._ **

“Your man?”

Arya looks up to see her former teacher and current boss watching her from his own adjacent desk with a smug look on his face. “For the thousandth time, he’s not my man.”

Syrio all but rolls his eyes at her. “I have seen him looking at you. He  _ is _ your man. He wants to be.”

“It’s not that simple,” Arya sighs. Even if Gendry wants her the way she wants him, and that isn’t a given, there are other factors involved. 

“He loves you. And you love him, no? What is so complicated about that?”

“He loves me as a  _ friend _ , and he has a daughter,” she reminds him. “We both have to think about what’s best for Josie.”

Syrio takes a deep breath, though it sounds more amused than frustrated. “Is it not best for her that her father is happy? Is it not best for her that  _ you  _ are happy? I have watched you raise that girl as your own. Nobody can say that you don’t love her, that you have not sacrificed for her. Surely you can afford yourself some happiness too?”

“Syrio…”

“Ask yourself this,” he says, cutting her off. “Could you watch him build a life with someone else? If he met some other woman he could be content with, could you watch him marry her, raise his daughter with her, grow old with her?”

Arya tries to picture it in her head and suddenly loses interest in her food. The answer, she realizes, is a resounding no. The idea of Gendry bringing someone else into their life, their home, their  _ family  _ makes her nauseous. 

“Well, I must go greet my students,” Syrio says and puts away the files he’s been sorting before striding from the office and into the lobby of the gym.

Arya tries to finish her food, but jealousy is a vice on her stomach. She’s being stupid, she tells herself. There’s not even anyone to be jealous of. Gendry has gone on exactly three dates since Josie was born and each and every one of them had ended rather quickly after he mentioned his daughter in passing. Arya’s track record isn’t much better, though she’ll deny the reason why. 

* * *

_ Arya wants to be entranced by the man across the table from her. Ned Dayne is polite and handsome and successful in his field, but she finds herself glancing at her watch between sips of wine anyway. She wants to like him and maybe even fall in love with him, but he’s making it damn hard. She doesn’t  _ dislike _ him, per se. She’s just… bored. _

_ “But that’s neither here nor there, right?” Ned is grinning as he says it, so Arya chuckles along and nods, though she lost track of his rambling story a few minutes ago. It seems to be the right reaction because Ned’s smile widens and he asks her what she does for work. _

_ “I teach martial arts at the First Sword MMA school.” _

_ “That sounds like an interesting job. How did you get started there?” _

_ “Syrio, the owner, used to be my teacher when I was a kid. I was actually the one who convinced him to move up north and open a school. When I finished university and moved home he asked for my help teaching summer classes. I thought I’d stay for a few months and move on, but that was almost two years ago and now I can’t imagine doing anything else.” _

_ “That explains your odd schedule. You don’t think you’ll move on to something with more regular hours once you have kids?” _

_ Arya turns her sip of wine into a long swig before setting the glass down. “ _ If _ I decide to have kids, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work out. I work the same number of hours every week as most people, it’s just distributed differently. Actually, it’s pretty convenient. Gendry and I make it work with no problem.” _

_ “Right, I forgot you lived with him,” Ned said, shifting a bit awkwardly in his seat. “I didn’t realize you were so involved with raising his daughter.” _

_ “Gendry’s my best friend. Of course I’m involved.” _

_ “Right, but… I mean, it’s not like she’s your responsibility,” Ned clarifies.  _

_ He’s right, technically, but Arya can’t help the annoyance that creeps up on her when he says it. She just nods and tries to turn the conversation in a different direction. Ned at least seems to understand that he’s misstepped because he makes no effort to return to that particular topic of conversation.  _

_ By the time he drops her off at home she’s more than a bit tipsy off merlot and glad he simply kisses her on the cheek before dashing back to his car. The house is quiet but she follows the soft light in the entryway to the back of the house, bypassing the rarely-used sitting room off the foyer. Gendry is still up, sitting on the sofa with his feet propped up on the coffee table while some renovation show plays on the television. Arya barely takes the time to shuck off her heels before flinging herself down across his lap. _

_ “That bad, huh?” _

_ She buries her face into his side and groans. “He was so boring! I thought he was going to pull out a spreadsheet,” she laughs. _

_ “Well, that explains why you’re wine drunk,” he chuckles.  _

_ She rolls onto her back to look up at him, still grinning. “I am not.” _

_ He peers down at her and the look in his eyes nearly sucks the air from her lungs. “Yes you are. Your lips are all stained,” he says, tapping the tip of his pointer finger to her bottom lip, then the tip of her nose, “and you get clingy when you’ve had merlot.”  _

_ She could kiss him, she thinks, if she lifted her head a bit. The thought sends a shiver down her spine, but he must mistake it for an actual chill because he pulls the blanket off the back of the couch and drapes it over her. And just like that, the moment is over. _

_ “So what have I missed?” She asks, shuffling around a bit so that her head is pillowed on his lap and she can see the tv screen.  _

_ “Some moron put linoleum over the original hardwoods in this place,” he says, gesturing to the house on the screen. “Solid oak and they just stuck some plastic shit over it.” _

_ “Idiots,” she agrees.  _

_ Gendry plays with her hair as the couple on screen moves on to talking about popcorn ceilings and a brick column that has to be worked around. “We could totally do this,” she says sleepily. _

_ “You don’t think we’d fight about stuff?” _

_ “Nah, only for the cameras. We’re a good team.” _

_ His hand skims her cheek as he continues toying with the tendrils of hair between his fingers and it brings warmth to Arya’s face. “We are, aren’t we?” _

* * *

By the time she wraps up her last class of the night, Arya is ready to go home and wash the day away in the shower. She gathers up her things and says goodnight to Syrio before walking out to her jeep and heading home. It’s a good thing she knows the route like the back of her hand because she’s distracted the whole way home. Syrio’s worlds play over and over in her head, intermingled with the conversation she’d had with the woman at Josie’s school.

She parks next to gendry’s sedan in the detached garage and heads inside to find most of the lights off on the first floor, save for the lamp in the living room that Gendry always leaves on for her. All the doors upstairs are closed but Arya can see that the light in the office is on. She decides to shower before going in, but it’s a quick and efficient affair. Once she’s changed into sleep shorts and a tank top, she tosses her towel in the hamper and sneaks back down the hallway. 

Josie’s door is closed but when Arya gently eases it open, she can see the little girl’s face illuminated by the soft light from the hall. She’s deep asleep, clutching the ear of her stuffed elephant as she lays sprawled across her bed. Arya wants to go cuddle her and ask about her day, but she decides to let it wait until the morning. A sleepy Josie is a cranky Josie, and that’s the last thing they need on a long car trip. Once she’s eased the door closed again, she makes her way to Gendry’s office and opens the door less silently, not wanting to sneak up on him as she tends to do. 

He’s sitting at his desk, the one she had custom ordered for him last Christmas, with his back to the door and a hand running through his hair. “How were your classes?” He doesn’t turn to look at her, but Arya smiles, knowing he can feel her there with him. 

There’s a bay window across from the door with a metal daybed tucked into it. It’s meant to be a place for guests to sleep, but most nights Arya finds herself tucked amongst the plethora of pillows that line the back. It’s where she heads as she answers his question, trying to put her conversation with Syrio out of her mind. “Good. I have a few kids who are ready to move up a belt and two guys from the adult jiu jitsu group who are ready to move up a weight class. What are you working on?”

He sighs and closes the laptop, standing from his leather desk chair and joining her on the daybed. It isn’t really big enough for two people to sleep on, but they can comfortably sit together on it. “Presentation that my team’s giving on Wednesday. Just wanted to make sure everything was right with it.”

“Have some faith,” she says and readjusts the way she’s leaning on the pillows so she can look up at him. “You hand picked this team. Surely they can manage one presentation without their fearless leader?”

“Of course they can, if they don’t kill each other first.”

Arya lets out a laugh and Gendry pulls her closer, tucking her head under his chin as they lean against the pillows. “Mmm. You smell good.”

“Well that makes one of us,” she teases. It’s a complete lie. He smells wonderful as always, sharp and masculine and fresh and  _ home. _ Arya’s damp hair still smells strongly of her coconut conditioner and her skin still carries the scent of the body wash she’d used to scrub away all her stress and sweat. 

She’d love to stay tucked under Gendry’s arm like this all night, but there’s work left to be done before they leave tomorrow. Their bags are mostly packed and waiting for them in the living room, save for a few essentials that will need to be added at the last minute. Josie somehow ended up with twice the luggage she and Gendry had for the week-long excursion, despite the fact that all of her clothes were tiny and she required half the toiletries the two of them were bringing. There were water toys, regular toys, three different flotation devices, snacks for the car, the cutest little travel pillow Arya had seen in her life, and hot pink headphones attached to a portable DVD player. 

Gendry pokes her side in retaliation and Arya squirms. “Stop it, or I’m going to draw a dick on your back with sunscreen this week.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Arya arched an eyebrow. “Wouldn’t I?” It wasn’t as charged when she followed it up with a yawn. 

“Time for bed,” Gendry chuckles, moving to get up off the daybed. “Do you need a cuddle and a story?” It’s Josie’s usual bedtime routine: bath, cuddles, story, then lights out.

“I just got my cuddle, but now I’m sort of curious what kind of story you would have told me,” she says, also standing up.

“I know ‘Madeline’ by heart,” he offers.

Arya shakes her head. “No, I want my own story. Make one up for me.”

“Right now?”

“No, I’m too sleepy right now and I still have to fold the laundry and prep food for the morning.”

“Another night,” he agrees. “Gives me more time to think of something. But you should know that the laundry’s already folded and put away, and breakfast and snacks for the car are already made. All we have to do is pour the batter into the waffle maker tomorrow and remember to bring the tupperware from the fridge.”

“Really? Gendry, I could have done that.”

“I know,” he shrugs, “but I had the time and you’ve basically done everything else to prepare for this trip. It’s the least I could do.”

Arya gives him a hug and Gendry strokes her damp hair for a moment. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Now, go get some sleep, yeah?”

She releases him and they both walk out into the hallway, wishing one another goodnight before diverging to walk towards their bedrooms. Arya pulls back the covers and crawls into her bed, enjoying the way the summer breeze flows through her open windows. A few blocks away, the city is still bustling as students and young professionals hit the town. In another life Arya might have been amongst them, but in this one she takes comfort in the lingering smell of her best friend on her skin and the sound of the leaves on the tree in the front yard rustling in the wind. 


	2. Saturday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Laura. Merry Christmas, and thank you for being so genuinely kind and supportive!

_ “Something’s wrong,” Arya insists, holding her phone to her ear as she tries to dress in a moment of relative peace. Josie has finally cried herself into a fitful sleep after four hours of screaming, but Arya’s instincts are telling her to panic. “She won’t eat, she’s only just fallen asleep, and she feels warm. I’m taking her to the hospital.” _

_ It’s not a question. She’s not deferring to his judgement as Josie’s parent. She’s not really thinking of anything other than the baby girl in the other room who hasn’t been herself since she woke up this morning.  _

_ “I’ll meet you there.” _

_ She loads Josie into the jeep and sets course for the urgent care at the nearest hospital, grateful that Josie sleeps for the duration of the ten minute drive. She starts fussing as Arya parks the car and is screaming again by the time she makes it to the reception desk. The nurse behind the counter gives her a pitying look as she explains the situation and hands her a clipboard full of paperwork to fill out. _

_ “There will be a nurse out in a moment to check on her. In the meantime, I’ll call the pediatrics department and see if we can have you transferred up there for more specialized care.” _

_ Arya thanks her profusely and sits down in the waiting area, trying to soothe Josie as well as she can while filling out the form. Another nurse comes out a few minutes later to take Josie’s temperature and ask Arya a few questions. Her name tag says ‘Aly’ and her scrubs are a deep purple.  _

_ “She’s definitely feverish,” the woman says, frowning at the thermometer. “You said she hasn’t eaten all day?” _

_ Arya shakes her head. “She keeps shoving the bottle away. I’m worried she’s going to get dehydrated.” _

_ She catches the nurse’s look of disapproval at the mention of a bottle and braces herself for the ‘breast is best’ speech, but it doesn’t come. “Have you noticed anything else out of the ordinary?” _

_ “She’s been fussier than usual all week, but today is the worst it’s been.” _

_ Aly nods. “Why don’t you follow me up to peds? We’ll try to get a better read on her temperature and see if we can get some fluids into her system.” _

_ Arya reaches into her pocket and pulls out her phone to text Gendry and tell him where they’ll be, but it’s dead.  _ Of course. _ She grabs her things and follows Aly to the elevator, pretending not to notice the relieved looks of the other patients in the waiting room.  _

_ The waiting area in the pediatric unit has colorful walls, short tables, a fishtank in the corner, and a plump nurse at the desk who takes her paperwork and says that someone will be out shortly. A few minutes pass and Arya tries to comfort Josie in any way she can. She hardly notices the phone at the reception desk ringing or the few short sentences that the nurse speaks into it.  _

_ “Mrs. Waters?” _

_ It’s not her name, but Arya’s head snaps up anyway.  _

_ “That was the UC. Your husband should be up shortly.” _

_ She’s too relieved to bother correcting the woman.  _

_ Gendry looks every bit as flustered as she feels when he walks into the waiting area and scans the room. Maybe it’s the stress, or the worry, or the sheer exhaustion, but a few tears slip free when he wraps his arms around the two of them and apologizes for taking so long.  _

_ “I’m sorry,” she says. “I should’ve known something was wrong.” _

_ “No. No, Arya, this isn’t your fault. I never should have left you guys this morning.” _

_ They eventually leave with a round of antibiotics and a lengthy list of instructions from the pediatrician. Josie has an ear infection and is teething too. Jon, like an absolute angel, is waiting at the house with takeout and a sympathetic smile for each of them.  _

_ It’s the start of another sleepless period, but they brave it with the same care and even more skill than the last. They’re getting very good at this, she realizes. They work in tandem, like they do with almost everything else, to care for Josie while she’s in pain. They are, after all, a very good team. _

* * *

They make most of the trip to the beach in ninety minute increments, stopping for bathroom breaks periodically and letting Josie run around at rest stops that they feel are far enough away from the road. She’s fairly easygoing, so long as they take turns sitting in the back with her and opening her snacks. Their final leg of the trip is a two and a half hour stretch, during which Josie is out cold. She only starts to stir as the highway gives way to quieter streets and slower speeds and the car turns more frequently. 

“We’re almost at the beach,” Arya informs her, already starting to tame the disarray that has overtaken the backseat of the jeep. Gendry pulls into the driveway of the blue cottage that will be their home for the next week and puts the car in park. Arya can already see the vast blue sea between the houses and knows Josie is going to make a beeline for the water the second she’s laid eyes on it.

Sure enough, as soon as she’s free of her carseat, she spots the expanse of blue and runs towards it as fast as her legs can carry her. She’s a quick little thing, but not used to running in sand, which slows her down enough that Arya and Gendry can catch up to her. 

“We can go in the water a little bit, but we’re not going to go swimming until tomorrow,” Arya tells her, shucking off both their shoes. Gedry removes his as well, abandoning them on the sand as each of them take one of Josie’s hands and walk towards the very edge of the shore, where the waves lap gently against the sand. She squeals when the first wave crashes over her feet, then laughs as more keep coming. 

“I thought I heard someone pull up.”

Arya turns her head to see Sansa walking towards them from the direction of the blue house’s back porch and waves. “She couldn’t wait to get in the water. Where is everyone?”

“Up in the big house,” Sansa says, indicating the much larger house next door. “I hope you’re hungry. Mom’s making enough to feed an army.”

“Sounds about right. We just have to bring our bags inside, then we’ll be over.”

“Can’t they wait? Everyone’s so excited to see you.”

Gendry pulls the keys from his pocket, locking the doors to the car with the remote, and the three of them follow Sansa to the back door of the big house. The dining room is already brimming with people when they arrive, all talking excitedly as dishes clink and the smell of delicious food wafts through the air. Rickon is the first to spot them, though Theon is closest and pulls her in for a hug before anyone else can. She makes the rounds, hugging everyone in the room while Gendry does the same and Josie runs straight into Ned’s arms crying “Papa” over and over. Arya hugs Jon last, though she saw him just three days ago, then makes her way to her parents’ sides. 

Josie is babbling excitedly about whales and the ocean while Ned nods enthusiastically. “You’re just in time for dinner,” Catelyn says, wrapping her daughter in a hug, then Gendry.

The humming excitement in the room never dies down as they crowd around the massive table, all trying to hold a few conversations at a time. There’s talk of a campfire the next night, which Arya looks forward to, and a lot of reminiscing on past trips. Josie spends the whole meal on Ned’s lap, stealing cooked carrots from his plate in between bites of food from her own, which he pretends not to notice. 

Arya knows the look on her father’s face when he looks down at Josie. It’s the same one he used to give her when she was a little girl. She gives him a look of equal adoration -- the same one Robert had pretended that he didn’t envy at Christmas last year. He still showered Josie with gifts, but Ned’s presence had always been far more valuable in Josie’s mind. 

* * *

_ “Are you sure you don’t mind?” _

_ Gendry had already asked about a hundred times, but Arya wasn’t surprised to hear him ask once more.  _

_ “We’re sure,” Ned said. “You two go have some fun. You do remember what fun is, right?” _

_ “Very funny, Dad. We’ll both have our phones if you guys need anything. Don’t hesitate to call. All the emergency numbers are on the fridge, she already had dinner but she’ll want a bottle before bed, and there’s a thermometer for her bathwater under the sink in the bathroom.” _

_ “We know,” Catelyn assures her, switching Josie’s weight from one hip to the other. “Now go, before you miss your reservations.” _

_ Arya and Gendry finish pulling on their shoes and say their goodbyes before finally heading out to the car, leaving Josie with Arya’s parents for the next few hours.  _

_ “It feels weird,” Gendry says as they sit at their table, waiting for their drinks. It’s a nice restaurant with a rooftop patio, which is where they’re currently seated. There are twinkling lights strung all over and soft music mingling with the sounds of conversation and cutlery tapping against plates. The mature atmosphere is definitely a break from their usual dinner routine, the most notable difference being that neither of them is making airplane noises as they try to feed Josie some sort of puree on a tiny spoon.  _

_ “But good, right? Once you get past the anxiety?” _

_ He nods. “Yeah, definitely. It’s nice to just be  _ me _ for a little while, not Josie’s dad. That sounded awful. I just meant-- ” _

_ “I know what you meant, dummy,” Arya assures him. “You’re not a terrible person for enjoying a night to yourself.” _

_ Except, he doesn’t have the night to himself, he has the night with her.  _

_ Ned had called her up that morning, just before she headed in to work for the Saturday morning kids’ classes she’d been teaching all summer, and  _ informed _ her that he and Catelyn had made plans for her and Gendry to take the night off and go enjoy themselves. She and Gendry had both protested, but they wouldn’t take no for an answer. And so they had taken turns showering and dressing for the fancy restaurant where Catelyn had made them reservations. She’d tried not to think too much about it as she got ready, applying a bit more makeup than her usual mascara and lip balm and picking up the perfume that usually sat unused on her dresser.  _

_ In the end it had been worth the effort when she came downstairs in a little black dress that teased the barest hint of cleavage and a pair of gold heels she hadn’t worn since Sansa’s wedding. He’d nearly dropped the spoonful of sweet potato puree he was holding out for Josie when she walked into the kitchen.  _

_ “Too much?” She had suddenly felt quite self-conscious without her usual athletic pants and tennis shoes. _

_ “No,” Gendry had said, almost too quickly. “It’s just… I mean, I haven’t really seen you wear… I mean, you look good.” _

_ “Thanks. So do you.” _

_ And he does. She can’t help but admire him as he browses the menu, eyebrows drawing together just the slightest bit as he reads. He’d shaved his hair at the beginning of summer, but now it’s growing out as dark and thick as ever. She has a bizarre flash in her imagination of him years from now, with flecks of silver mixed in with the black and she cannot comprehend exactly why it makes her heartbeat stutter. He’d picked a deep blue button-up from his lineup of work shirts and forgone the usual tie. It makes his eyes even more stunning than usual, a fact that isn’t helped by the twinkling lights overhead.  _

_ The return of their waitress rips Arya away from her thoughts as the young woman places their drinks down on the table -- a glass of the house red for her and a Tom Collins for him -- and asks if they’re ready to place their orders. Gendry orders first, asking about a substitution while Arya mentally flips a coin to decide between two equally tempting dishes. Once they’ve returned their menus and their waitress has left for the kitchen she reaches for her glass and takes a sip of the rich wine, licking a stray droplet from her bottom lip. _

_ “Do me a favor and warn me if you start to feel clingy,” he teases.  _

_ Arya shoots him a look but can’t help the crooked smile on her face. “From now on, wine drunk Arya only comes out on bad dates, I swear.”  _

_ Gendry chuckles for a second before his face suddenly falls into an adorably confused look. “Wait a minute, is  _ this _ a date?” _

_ And there it is: the question Arya has been avoiding all night. She wouldn’t put it past her parents to try and set them up. In fact, it’s all too obvious between the required semi-formal attire and the admittedly romantic environment, that Ned and Cat are hoping things might take a turn for the less platonic. _

_ Arya is spared having to answer by the sound of her phone chiming from inside her clutch. She pulls it out quickly, worried something could be wrong with Josie, but grins instead when she sees what her mother sent her. She turns her screen so Gendry can see the picture of her father completely knocked out on the sofa with Josie lying on his chest, blue eyes closed and tiny lips parted in sleep.  _

_ After that the conversation shifts and she relaxes, letting the wine warm her blood and the cool night breeze pull the blush from her cheeks when he compliments her attire a bit more eloquently than last time. In another life this is a date and they’ll go home and thank her parents before heading upstairs to undress one another. In another life he’ll kiss her breathless up against the bedroom door, watch in awe as her dress hits the floor and make love to her, because in this fantasy universe they’re in love and they both know it beyond a shadow of a doubt.  _

_ But that’s not the world they live in, she reminds herself. _

* * *

Dinner gives way to drinking as everyone spreads out to keep talking. Gendry brings her a glass of merlot on his way to the living room and Josie is using Jon as a jungle gym. It’s loud and chaotic and warm, and she feels almost  _ home _ . 

Arya catches up with Bran for a while, then pours a glass of moscato and goes in search of her sister. She finds Sansa in the sun room, chatting with Ygritte while Ellie and her brother play at their feet. Their sister-in-law is rocking the newest member of the family in her arms -- a baby girl with Jon’s hair and Ygritte’s eyes. 

“I come bearing gifts,” she says, offering sansa the glass of white wine and keeping the red for herself. “Sorry,” she shoots Ygritte a sympathetic look, “I know you’re still nursing.”

“I prefer tequila anyway,” she says with a laugh.

As different as the three of them are, they always seem to find something to talk about, often rather animatedly. Ygritte has just finished recounting the story of how she told Jon she was pregnant when Arya finishes off her wine and sets the glass next to Sansa’s on the end table. Her sister’s glass is completely untouched.

There’s a lull in the conversation and Arya uses it to scan her sister’s face before announcing her suspicions. “You’re pregnant again.”

Ygritte glances between them, then to the glass, then back at Sansa, who’s trying to hide a smile. “I just found out last week,” she admits. “But it’s still really early and we weren’t going to tell anyone yet, so you’re both sworn to secrecy.” 

The two of them swear to keep it to themselves, but Arya finds herself grinning throughout the night. It’s thrilling to have a happy little secret, she realizes. She doesn’t know how Sansa keeps it to herself.

She drifts between different groups, refilling her glass a few more times as the night wears on. Eventually the group begins to dissipate as the little ones grow fussy and begin nodding off. Arya finds Josie clinging to wakefulness by a thread as Rickon holds her on his lap, chatting with Theon and Robb about the classes he’s taking in the fall. Sansa’s clan is already gathered by the back door, waiting on her. 

“Time for bed, Josie Jo,” she says, swinging the girl up into her arms. Josie’s too tired to argue, so she just loops her arms around Arya’s neck and rests her cheek on Arya’s shoulder. Gendry is grabbing their bags from the car and Arya is glad she has avoided him for most of the night. She still can’t get Syrio’s words out of her head and she doesn’t know how to breach the subject with him, or if she even should.

Sansa leads her to the kids’ room on the second floor of the blue house, where Ellie has already claimed the top bunk of the bunk bed. There’s a trundle underneath the bottom bunk, but they don’t bother pulling it out. Once they’re in their pajamas, Josie and Owen cuddle up together like a pair of puppies and promptly pass out, exhausted from the long day. Once they’ve eased the door closed, Sansa gives them directions to their room downstairs and goes to get ready for bed herself. 

Gendry grabs both of their suitcases from the base of the stairs and follows Arya to their room. She’s not surprised to find only one bed, but gives Sansa the benefit of the doubt. After all, it’s not like her sister furnished the house, just took responsibility for assigning rooms. She still peeks into the room next door on her way to the bathroom, finding another lone bed. Rickon is still next door, but she still feels like she’s invading his space somehow and eases the door shut. 

She and Gendry orbit around one another easily as they get ready for bed. Arya tries to ignore the elephant in the room when Gendry gets back from the bathroom, reminding herself that it’s no big deal. They used to share a bed all the time when Josie was a baby. She’d passed out in his room between feedings more than once and Gendry never minded. 

Of course, that’s not what worries her though. What worries her is the way she often woke up wrapped in his arms or tucked against his side. What worried her was the way her heart fluttered when she woke like that, and how they’d always avoided mentioning it come morning.

“You’re not gonna get all clingy, are you? I saw you finish a couple glasses of that merlot tonight and it’s too hot for you to be stuck all over me like a leech,” he teased.

“Me? You’re the one who always uses me as a personal space heater,” she retorts and the anxiety seems to wash away like a message written on the sand. She opens up the window, which looks out onto the beach, and lets the sound of the water lapping against the shore fill the room.

“I get cold,” Gendry says defensively. “Would you prefer for me to hog all the blankets?”

Arya heaves a dramatic sigh. “I suppose you have a point. What side do you want?”

“I prefer the side by the window, if you don’t mind.”

“Fine by me,” Arya says, walking to the side of the bed closest to the door and crawling in. The lights flick off, then Gendry’s weight eases into the mattress beside her. The moon is full outside the window and she can just make out the details of his face in the faint silver light as they lie on their sides, facing one another. There’s a beat of silence before Arya speaks. “Wanna hear a secret?”

Gendry chuckles and the sound warms her blood more than all the merlot she’s had. “Of course.”

“Sansa’s pregnant. But don’t let her know that you know! She swore me to secrecy.”

“Remind me not to tell you when I’m planning a surprise party. You’re a terrible secret keeper.”

“Hey! I’m a great secret keeper… usually.”

“Well, I promise not to tell anyone. Unlike  _ some people _ .”

“I couldn’t help it, I’m excited!”

“If by ‘exited’ you mean tipsy.”

She kicks his shin under the sheets and Gendry yelps in surprise. “Don’t you owe me a story, smartass?”

“Alright, alright. As long as you keep all your limbs to yourself.”

“Fine.” She wiggles around a bit, getting comfortable as she snuggles up under the blankets. Gendry does the same, propping his head up on his hand. 

“Once upon a time, a very  _ very _ long time ago, there was a beautiful kingdom that stretched from sea to sea. And even though it was cold as fucking balls, everyone who lived there was happy and at peace. The princess of the kingdom was loved by everyone, especially the commoners.”   
  
“Let me guess, she was beautiful and sweet and sang songs with mice and birds?”

Gendry narrowed his eyes at her. “No, actually. She was a pain in the ass and a little bit gangly, but people liked her all the same. Now, one day the princess went out exploring far beyond the walls of the castle, much further than she had ever gone before. Deep in the woods, she met a man.”

“A prince?” 

“A lowly blacksmith,” Gendry corrected. “Day after day the princess visited him at his forge and the two of them grew close, but the princess never revealed her true identity to him until fate forced her hand. Her parents’ enemies took them by surprise, killing the king and queen. The princess fled to the safest place she could think of -- the blacksmith’s forge. Once there, she revealed her true identity.”

Arya can feel her eyelids drooping, but fights sleep in favor of listening to the familiar cadence of Gendry’s deep voice. “Then what?”

“They waited until it was safe, then disguised themselves and fled. They spent years trying to find any allies who might help take back her home. By the time they were ready to storm the castle, the blacksmith had fallen deeply in love with the princess.”

“Why? I thought she was an awkward-looking pain in the ass.”

“At first, yeah. But she grew out of her awkward phase, and he realized that she was funny, loyal, brave, and caring. He couldn’t help but fall in love with her.”

“You didn’t warn me it was going to be a love story,” Arya complains, burrowing further under the covers. 

“It’s not,” Gendry says, a hint of unexplained sadness in his voice. “Once they’d won back the castle, he went back to his forge and she went back to her royal duties. After a few years, she found a knight who was worthy of her and they married.”

“What about the blacksmith?”

“He distracted himself with work and friends, but he never could find another girl he loved as much as his princess.”

There’s a long silence and Arya realizes that the story is over. “Gendry, that story sucked.”

He pokes at her side until she has to turn her face into the pillow to stifle her giggles. “Everyone’s a freaking critic.”

“They made each other happy. They should have been together,” Arya says, once he finishes his assault on her ribcage. 

“Maybe next time,” he says cryptically, but she’s too tired to try and figure out what he means, The long day and the wine have caught up with her and her eyelids feel impossibly heavy. “Go to sleep, Arya.”


	3. Sunday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Yana. Thank you for your constant enthusiasm and support. Happy holidays, dear!

She’s not surprised to find his arms wrapped around her when she wakes up. Morning light and a salty breeze are both filtering in through the open window and Arya doesn’t think she’s ever felt more at peace. At least, until she feels her best friend’s morning wood poking her in the ass.

Carefully, she manages to extract herself from his arms. Part of her wishes she could stay, but a marginally larger part wants to avoid the awkwardness that that choice would undoubtedly cause. Once she’s free, she tiptoes into the kitchen, starting a pot of coffee and ducking into the bathroom as it brews. She can’t help but hear Syrio’s words in her head as she washes her face and pulls back her hair. 

_He_ is _your man. He wants to be._

Gendry’s stupid story from the night before comes back to her and she finds she can better analyze it without the wine clouding her mind. If she’s his princess, if he’s her blacksmith, what’s keeping them apart? She thinks about what Gendry said, about the princess waiting for a worthy match. Was that how he saw himself? Unworthy?

_It was only a story_ , she reminds herself as a pair of little feet pad their way down the stairs. Josie comes racing into the kitchen with her thick hair in total disarray and bright blue eyes, and Arya remembers the real barriers between them. He has a child. Not her child. Someone else’s child, though Arya knows that she would kill and die for the girl that is now held tight in her arms. 

_“I am every bit her_ **_real_ ** _mom, whether I fit your definition or not.”_

Josie.

How can she be both the wall that stands between them and one of the many ties that binds them? 

“How did you sleep Jelly Bean?” Arya tries to smooth her black hair down, but with little success. 

“Good. We can go swimming today?” She looks so full of hope at the prospect.

“Of course we can go swimming today. You need to eat some breakfast first though.”

She settles Josie on her hip and starts rifling through the cabinets, looking for something the little one will like. The freezer yields a box of toaster waffles and Arya gets a couple of them cooking while she pours a cup of coffee. Josie keeps chattering away about swimming and whales and Arya listens contentedly. 

She barely notices when the door to the room she’s sharing with Gendry swings open and he comes shuffling out in nothing but his sweatpants. She tries not to remember the way she’d felt when she woke up that morning with his bare chest against her back and his strong arms snaked around her. She definitely tries not to remember the way his erection had poked insistently against her ass and the way he’d pulled her closer the first time she’d tried to free herself from his grip. 

“Hey, my girls are up!” 

“Hi Daddy!”

Gendry shuffles over to the two of them and wraps them both in a hug, kissing Josie’s nose as he pulls back and making her giggle. 

There’s a split second before he releases them where Arya could almost swear that his gaze flickers down to her lips, then back up to her eyes. 

Something hangs between them -- that familiar energy they’ve grown so adept at dancing around -- buzzing like a live wire until Ellie and Owen come thundering down the stairs and break the spell.

* * *

_“Mom, don’t you think this is a bit much? I mean, she’s not even going to remember it,” Arya says, peeking into the living room. It’s lavishly decorated (in Arya’s opinion) with pink and gold and flowers, all for Josie’s first birthday. “You really didn’t have to do all this.”_

_“Nonsense,” Catelyn scoffs, carefully arranging the trays of food that are set up on the dining table. “I was not going to let my granddaughter’s big day pass by with nothing more than a cupcake and a few unwrapped presents.”_

_Arya takes a deep breath. “Mom, we’ve been over this. Josie’s not your granddaughter.”_

_Catelyn waves a dismissive hand at her protests and walks back into the kitchen where Robb is trying to sneak a beer in peace. “Oh please, she and Gendry are as good as family. If you and Gendry would just get together already we could make it official.”_

_“Mom!”_

_“She has a point,” Robb says before taking another sip of his beer._

_Arya shoots him a disbelieving look. “Seriously, would it kill you to back me up?”_

_Her brother shrugs. “Sorry, she’s right. You two have been dancing around your feelings for like three years. Just screw already.”_

_“Robb!” Arya and Catelyn glare at him in equal measure, though for different reasons._

_Arya heavs a sigh. “I’m going to go wake Josie up from her nap.”_

_“Her dress is in the closet,” Cat reminds her as she walks away._

_Josie is just starting to stir when Arya opens the door to her old bedroom. “Hey birthday girl! How did you sleep?”_

_Josie’s hair is a tangled mess from sleep and her pajamas are all rumpled up. Arya lifts her from the crib, trying to smooth her hair down as she walks her over to the changing table against the wall. Josie babbles away the whole time, still only able to form a handful of recognizable words but happy to be making noise._

_“Alright, let’s get you in this dress,” Arya says, once Josie is in a fresh diaper. Arya's old bedroom is more of a nursery now, though her old bed still remains, and she finds the dress amongst the other various baby clothes that line the shelves of her closet. It’s a fluffy pink thing with gold sequins that Josie will destroy in no time._

_“There’s my girl!” Gendry appears in the doorway and steps into the softly lit room._

_“Dada!” Josie reaches for him eagerly, hoping to escape the tulle monstrosity that Arya is trying to wrangle her into._

_Gendry doesn’t pick her up, just helps Arya get her arms in the sleeves and kisses her head when the thing is finally buttoned. “Thank you for waking her up, Arya.”_

_“Yaya,” Josie echoes as Gendry finally lifts her into his arms._

_“Arya,” she corrects, drawing it out so Josie can hear every letter._

_“Yaya.”_

_“Thanks Yaya,” Gendry teases. “Your mom said we’re going to open presents as soon as everyone is here.”_

_Arya can’t help but throw her hands in the air. “What could they possibly give her that she doesn’t already have?”_

_“Judging by the pile of boxes down there, a lot.”_

_Arya shakes her head, “I’ll be down in a minute. I’m just going to change.”_

_She slips out of the old sweatshirt she’s been wearing and pulls on a v-neck, then a long sweater that hangs open to her knees. She leaves the skinny jeans she’s had on all day and releases her hair from its messy bun. It’s wavy from being confined all morning and falls to her shoulders in a way that she hopes will frame her face. She doesn’t care about looking pretty, she tells herself, but Gendry crosses her mind when she looks in the mirror one last time before heading down the stairs to the foyer, where she can hear Robert’s booming voice above the rest._

* * *

They’re swinging Josie between them, helping her jump over the incoming waves as she squeals in delight, when a familiar and booming voice calls out from behind them. 

“Has anyone seen my granddaughter?”

“Robert! You made it!” Ned gets up from the shaded chair he’s been lounging in and Catelyn follows suit. 

“I thought he wasn’t coming,” Gendry whispers, gathering his daughter up in his arms. 

“Sansa said she hadn’t heard anything. Maybe it was a last-minute decision?”

They make their way over to where Robert is greeting Robb and Theon and he turns his attention to them. “Look at how big you’re getting! Come to Grandpa,” he says, holding out his hands to Josie. The little girl goes willingly, for which Arya is grateful. It’s no secret that Josie plainly favors Arya’s father, but Robert has been putting in more effort to be present as of late and it seems to be paying off for him. 

“You look good,” he says with a nod to Gendry. Arya can’t disagree. Despite their crazy schedules, he still makes time to keep fit and his chest and arms look every bit as good in the early afternoon sun as they felt against her skin that morning. Arya can’t help but wonder how the hell she’s supposed to wake up like that all week and not go insane. 

“And you,” Robert turns his attention to Arya, “remind me of your aunt more and more every day. You’ve got her look.” 

She can feel Gendry tense at her side at the mention of her Aunt Lyanna and Arya has to school her expression. Her swimsuit is relatively modest, comprised of a pair of swim shorts and a bikini top with a halter neckline that keeps what little cleavage she has concealed, but she suddenly feels very exposed at the comment and wishes for the shapeless cover-up that’s lying on her towel a few yards down the shore. 

“We were just about to eat,” Ned interrupts. Arya doesn’t know if he somehow sensed the discomfort she was feeling, but she’s grateful either way. 

They all make their way up to the back deck of the big house, where Ygritte is setting out sides on the table while Jon mans the grill. Bran has somehow ended up in charge of the baby, but he doesn’t seem to mind much. At least, not as long as she’s sleeping. 

“We didn’t know you were coming,” Gendry says as they sit down with their food. Only Arya knows how forced the casual tone of his voice is. 

“I’m headed up north to meet with some investors, I figured I could take a little detour on the way to visit.” 

“How long will you be staying?” Sansa’s question seems gentle but Arya can tell that she’s annoyed that he showed up without any warning.

“I have a flight to catch Monday night. I wish I could stay longer, but you know how it is.” 

Sansa nods, despite the fact that Arya is almost certain that she does not know how it is. “Well, there’s a pull-out bed in the living room next door. I’d be happy to make it up for you tonight.”

“Thank you, Sansa.”

Arya’s relieved that Robert spends most of his time with Ned and Catelyn, and even joins them when they announce that they’re going to head into town to get some things for the fire they planned to have that night. He’s trying, she knows, but it doesn’t make up for missing out on his son’s entire childhood. And then there’s the Lyanna thing… 

Robert had dated her aunt for all of a year when they were in college, but even after all the years that have passed, he can’t let her go. Lyanna had died in a car accident before Arya was even born, but she felt as though her aunt’s ghost were standing right over her shoulder every time Robert looked at her. It was disconcerting at best, and downright sad and creepy at worst.

Sometimes she wonders what Robert sees when he looks at her and Gendry. He loves to point out that Gendry is the spitting image of himself from over thirty years ago. She guesses that seeing them together might be like looking back in time for the old man, but she can’t quite decide how to feel about that.

“Arya?”

“Hmm?” She snaps back to reality and she’s staring out at the waves again, a beach towel spread beneath her and the afternoon sun warming her skin. Gendry is standing over her, silhouetted by the light but no doubt grinning at her distraction. 

“Josie’s down for her nap. Do you want to take a walk? Sansa said she’d keep an eye on her.”

“Sure.” Gendry offers her a hand and Arya takes it, leveraging herself off the ground. 

They walk down the beach in comfortable silence for a long while, just enjoying the view and the feeling of the water lapping at their bare feet. Arya isn’t sure how far they go, but after a while the shoreline curves enough that they can no longer see the big house. The sun isn’t even close to setting, still hanging high in the sky in the middle of the afternoon and warming them almost to the point of discomfort. 

It’s not until they reach a tiny inlet, sheltered from the rest of the world by a towering cliff, that Gendry speaks. “Are you okay?”

Arya doesn’t even think before tossing out her usual answer. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Gendry shrugs and begins to wade into the water, letting Arya decide whether or not to follow him in deeper. She goes, of course. For him she will always go deeper.

“Did… did I do something? Are you upset with me?”

She stops moving, water halfway up her thighs. “No, of course not. It’s stupid, honestly.”

“But something _is_ bothering you.”

She lets out a little huff and starts moving deeper into the water again so she has an excuse to avoid his gaze. “This woman at Josie’s school said something to me the other day and… I sort of went off on her.”

“Did she try to say something about Josie, or was it about you?”

Arya isn’t entirely sure. “Neither. Both. I don’t know. She realized that Josie wasn’t mine and she started talking about how she needed her ‘ _real’_ mom. And I got so _mad_ , which is stupid because I’m… we’re not even… I’m not Josie’s anything. I had no right to be angry, so then I felt like an idiot for letting my temper get out of hand but it was already done.”

The water is up to her chest now, cooling her skin. She doesn’t dare to glance over at Gendry so she plugs her nose and dives under the waves, swimming out a bit further just below the surface of the water. She doesn’t get far before a pair of familiar arms are pulling her back to the surface. 

“Seriously, Arya? One uncomfortable conversation and you’re going to drown yourself?” His tone is light, but his grip around her waist is steady. 

“I was just cooling off, stupid.”

He slowly releases her and Arya realizes she can’t touch the sand beneath them anymore. She flails for a second, then turns to grip Gendry’s shoulders since she doesn’t have room to tread water with him so close by. The water only reaches the middle of his chest, which she finds annoying.

There’s a wet strand of hair clinging to her face and Gendry gently tucks it behind her ear. She’d been right to avoid looking at him, she realizes. The look in his eyes is dangerous -- not because he is angry, but because he looks so sincere that she worries she won’t physically be able to restrain herself from kissing him. 

“You had _every_ right to be angry. I can’t even count the number of times you’ve dropped everything to take care of Josie. Maybe she doesn’t call you ‘mom’ or whatever, but you’re as much her parent as I am. She loves you, you know. We both do.”

Neither of them seem prepared for the next words that come out of her mouth, least of all Arya. “You almost kissed me this morning. In the kitchen, I mean.”

Gendry shuts his eyes as if he’s meditating the thought away. “I almost kiss you about fifty times a day,” he admits. “I can’t believe this is the first time you’ve noticed.”

“Why don’t you?”

His hands come to rest on her waist beneath the water, helping her keep her afloat with less effort. “Because I know that if I do, I won’t be able to stop and I… I don’t want to close any doors for you, Arya. I don’t want to trap you.”

His eyes are so painfully blue when he looks at her that her heart can’t help but stutter in her chest. 

It’s too easy. Her hands are already on his shoulders, his on her waist, and it’s all too easy to pull herself in closer and kiss him. 

He seems stunned for a moment, staying completely still as her body comes flush with his and their lips meet. His taste like salt and Arya imagines that hers do too. There’s another moment of hesitation, and then he seems to comprehend what’s happening because he pulls her body impossibly closer and it doesn’t matter that they’re standing in the ocean because her blood feels like gunpowder and Gendry’s lips feel like a spark. 

His kiss grows more blistering by the second, but Arya leans into the heat of it, wrapping her legs around his waist as he buries a hand in her hair. She’s grateful that he’s fully supporting her body now because she doesn’t think she has the mental space to focus on anything but the feeling of his lips on hers, his tongue gliding against the seam of her mouth, the way the hand he has buried in her hair is cradling her head and keeping her close.

They stay that way for a long minute (or maybe it’s a full hour) before they have to pull back to get some air. She’s loathe to detach herself from him, so she keeps her arms locked around his shoulders and rests her forehead against his. “You could never trap me,” she breathes and Gendry’s half-closed eyes snap up to meet hers.

“Arya…”

She leans back a bit more and cocks an eyebrow. “What? You think I don’t know what I’d be getting myself into? I had every opportunity to leave and I couldn’t do it. I mean, where could I possibly go that I wouldn’t miss you? Who could make me forget this face?”

She ghosts her fingertips over the stubble on his cheeks and Gendry’s eyes fall closed again as he leans into her touch. “Arya… I just… I need you to understand the weight of what you’re saying.”

He opens his eyes and the blue of his irises is a thousand times more stunning than that of the ocean behind them. “I have to think of Josie,” he continues. “I have to do what’s best for her, so If you think that you want this, Arya… it has to be all or nothing.”

She’s a teeny bit hurt that he doesn’t think she’s considered that, but she understands where he’s coming from. Syrio’s words from the other night come flooding back to her and Arya knows they’re true. “Isn’t it best for her that we’re happy? You and Josie are my family, Gendry. You said it yourself, I’m as much her parent as you are. If the idea of that scared me, I would have been gone a long time ago.” 

“Are you-- ” Gendry starts but Arya cuts him off.

“Yes, I’m sure. Now kiss me again, stupid.”

And he does. He kisses her lips, her throat, her cheek, the curve of her jaw, and the skin just beneath her ear. He kisses her so thoroughly and so deeply that she feels as if she’s floating in the air, not the water. 

“We’ll have to go back eventually,” she sighs as his lips find their way to her shoulder. 

“Five more minutes.” His fingertips trail up her spine as he says it and Arya finds herself immediately giving in. 

He slowly walks her back to shore, kissing her the whole way and refusing to set her down until the water is only ankle-deep. She thinks that he means to start walking back to the house, but instead he sits down in the sand, pulling her down on top of him and kissing her deeply again. His hands are everywhere and she can feel his hardness through the flimsy fabric of his swim trunks. She wants him, _gods_ does she ever want him, but they’ve already been gone for too long and she really doesn’t want her first time with him to be a hurried tryst on a public beach. 

“We have to go back, “ she reminds him. “Josie’s probably already up from her nap.”

He gives her one last lingering kiss. “I did warn you I wouldn’t be able to stop.”

Arya laughs at that, then rises to her feet and offers him a hand. Once they’ve brushed themselves off as well as they can, they set off in the direction of the house, hand-in-hand.

“Are you sure you want everyone to know? It’s still so new,” Gendry says as the house comes into view. 

Arya considers it, weighing the pros and cons. She loves Gendry, there’s no question about that, it’s a truth as simple as the color of her hair, but a selfish part of her wants to keep their recently transformed relationship a secret. She stops walking, tugging on Gendry’s hand so he’ll do the same. “This isn’t how I want Josie to find out,” she says. “We should talk to her, don’t you think?”

Gendry looks like he wants to kiss her again, but just nods. “You’re right. And I’m not really looking forward to the self-satisfied remarks from your family either. Better that we keep this between us for now.”

He gives her a quick kiss on the forehead before dropping her hand. 

* * *

  
  


Gendry is too impatient. 

While Arya takes her time, toasting her marshmallows to golden perfection, Gendry manages to charr two of them at once and burn his mouth by swallowing them whole. “Hold it up higher,” she laughs, guiding his stick so the flames are just barely licking at the marshmallow on the end. The second she pulls her hand away, it’s right back in the fire. 

“Burning them is way better,” Rickon says, waving his own marshmallow around in the air to stifle the flames that engulf it. 

The fire goes out, but only because the puffy confection is sailing through the air towards Sansa’s head. 

“Rickon!”

The youngest stark at least has the good sense to hide behind Robb while the rest of the group laughs. Sansa manages to remove the bulk of the marshmallow from her hair, but there’s still a sticky patch near her temple that needs rinsing. Arya hands her own stick off to Bran and stands up to inspect the damage. 

“He got you pretty good. You know, RIck, if you’d used that aim in high school you might have actually made the baseball team,” she teases. “Come on, let’s go rinse this out.”

She tosses what she hopes is a subtle glance back to Gendry as she and Sansa walk up to the house. The kids are all in bed by now, though they’d been allowed to stay up late enough to make s’mores by the fire after dinner. Josie had practically been a zombie by the time Arya brought her upstairs for a cuddle and a story. She made it through about four pages of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” before nodding off and leaving Arya to turn off the lights and switch on the baby monitor that Sansa had brought.

“So,” her sister starts as Arya turns on the shower and checks the water temperature, “Are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and Gendry, or do I have to guess?”

Arya decides the water is warm enough and lifts the detachable showerhead off the wall. “Nothing’s going on with me and Gendry.”

Even as she says it, she can’t help the smile that blooms on her face.

Sansa sits patiently on the edge of the tub while Arya works the sugar from her hair. “I’ve seen you two making heart eyes at each other all night. Not that that’s any different from any other night, but it’s ten times more noticeable now.”

She could lie, she thinks, but Sansa has always been able to read things like this. “Okay, but just… don’t tell anyone yet.”  
  


“I pinky promise,” Sansa says, offering her finger.

“You know how we went for a walk today? Well, he asked me about something that had been bugging me and… I don’t know, I guess everything just came to the surface and I ended up kissing him.”

“You _did_? What happened? Did he kiss you back?” Sansa is practically vibrating with excitement.

“Calm down, I’m gonna spray you in the face,” Arya laughed. “Yes, he kissed me back. He kissed me back _a lot_ , actually.”

“Oh my gods, did you guys… you know?” Sansa makes an impolite hand gesture.

“Ew, on the beach? No! Can you imagine the sand?”

She shuts the water off, satisfied that Sansa’s auburn locks are marshmallow-free, and hands her a towel. 

“So you two haven’t slept together yet?”

“We only kissed for the first time a few hours ago!”

Sansa seems to consider that for a long moment. “You know, it’s only about an hour and a half from here to Oldcastle. You guys could go on a proper date, wine and dine, set the mood. There’s a cute little inn there. It would be so romantic.”

“Sansa, are you seriously trying to get me laid right now?” 

“I’m just saying, you’re not going to have much luck here, and there are so many-” 

She’s silenced by a knock on the door. 

“Come in,” Sansa says gently. 

Gendry pokes his head in the door. “Just came in to check on the kids. How are things going in here?”

“Significantly less sticky,” Arya says, indicating her sister’s damp hair.

“I was just telling Arya about all the fun things to do in Oldcastle. I thought you guys could take a day trip tomorrow. There are so many people here who can look after Josie for you, and I’m sure you’d both like a break from Robert.”

Gendry considers it for a moment. “That does sound pretty nice, but... I don’t know, Sansa.” 

“It would be so romantic,” she insists. “Besides, don’t you want to take my sister on a proper date?”

Gendry sends Arya a helpless look. “She knows?”

“Of course I know, I’m her big sister.”

Gendry runs a hand through his hair. “I do want to take you out properly,” he says to Arya, “and Josie would be alright here for one day wihout us. Ned and Cat will make sure Robert doesn’t get too carried away with her.”

Arya mulled it over in her head. He had a point, and she knew Sansa was right about them not getting a chance to… _progress things_ with the whole damn family milling around. Plus, Josie had stayed overnight with Arya’s parents before. She would be alright with her whole family around to keep her occupied. 

And so, when they all sat down for breakfast the next morning, Arya announces that she and Gendry are driving to Oldcastle to visit a friend of hers from university. There’s no shortage of people willing to look after Josie, but that’s to be expected. She’s not sure how many of her siblings and various in-laws believe the story, but she can’t quite bring herself to care.


	4. Monday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Jess, because my mom always told me to save the best for last. Thank you for being my cheerleader, my sounding board, and my favorite person to talk Gendrya with. Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!

They pack one shared bag, placing their clothes in side by side before leaving in the middle of the morning. Arya drives, leaving Gendry in charge of the radio. He flickers through the unfamiliar stations until he finds one they can both agree on, then lets it play as they trace their way along the coast. It would have been faster to go inland a bit and use the highway, but they don’t mind taking the extra time to enjoy the view.

Arya keeps her eyes on the road, but every so often she can feel him looking at her from the passenger’s seat. 

“What?” She finally asks after the third or fourth time. She glances over to him and the look on his face makes her heartbeat falter. He hasn’t said it out loud yet, but his eyes say that he loves her.

“Nothing,” he insists. “Can’t I look at you?”

“You’re staring.”

“I’m _admiring_. Can’t a guy admire his girlfriend from time to time?”

Girlfriend.

The word makes her pause, then tap her fingertips against the steering wheel. It's nice, she has to admit. It's certainly better than 'friend' or 'housemate,' but it somehow didn’t feel like _enough_.

Is there a word for best friends turned lovers who weren’t married, but raised a child together before eventually admitting their feelings and making out in the ocean like a pair of teenagers?

Arya can’t think of one.

“What’s wrong?”

Arya shrugs, turning the wheel slightly as they make their way around a bend in the road. “Nothing. It’s just… new.”

“Good new or bad new?”

“Just new.” 

“Think you’ll get used to it?”

“Yeah. You think you’ll get used to being my boyfriend?”

“I think I already am.”

* * *

Oldcastle is settled right along the coastline, spilling into the hills beyond for a few miles before trickling off into farmland. It's only just populous enough to call itself a city, though many of its inhabitants work in the fishing industry and spend long stretches of time at sea. Arya thinks that maybe that’s what has allowed the place to retain its old-fashioned charm. 

They can’t check into their room at the inn for a few hours, so the pair decide to look for a place to get lunch and explore for a bit. Arya parks the jeep in front of one of the shops lining the main street and locks the doors behind them as they make their way down the sidewalk. She doesn’t say anything when Gendry takes her hand, just lets him lace their fingers together as they pass a clothing shop with a mannequin in the window.

The sun is sitting high in the center of the sky, though the heat isn’t too stifling thanks to the breeze coming in off the water. Arya peers into the shops as they pass, enjoying the weather and the feeling of Gendry’s hand in hers. There’s a small restaurant wedged between an antique store and a jeweler’s shop, and that’s where they decide to eat.

“Go get us a table? I’m just going to call Sansa,” she says. 

Gendry agrees and heads inside, leaving her to pull her cell out and idly browse the jewelry in the shop window next door as it rings. She’s never been much of a jewelry enthusiast, but there’s a ring on display that’s exactly the color of Gendry’s eyes and Arya can’t stop admiring it.

“Hey Arya! How’s everything going? Did you make it to Oldcastle?”

“Hi Sans. We got here a little bit ago. We’re just about to have lunch. How’s Josie doing?”

Se can almost hear the smile in her sister’s voice and Arya finds herself calmed by that. “Dad and Robert have her out in the water right now. She’s just swimming back and forth between them with her life vest on. It’s so cute, I’ve taken like a hundred pictures already.”

“She’s not giving you any trouble?”

“Hardly,” Sansa scoffs. “Bedtime may be a different story, but she’s been great so far.”

“Alright. I’ll check in again in a few hours, but if you need anything just call.”

“Relax. We’ve got this. Go enjoy yourselves and that nice quiet, _private_ suite you booked. You have everything you need, right? If you need any _supplies_ , there should be a pharmacy downtown.”

“Yes, we’re… covered in that department. I’m hanging up now before you decide to start recommending positions or something.”

“I could if you want. There’s this thi-”

“Goodbye Sansa.”

She clicks the phone off just as Gendry pokes his head out the door to check on her. “They’ve got a table ready for us.”

She gives the ring in the display one last glance, wondering what kind of stone it is, then follows him inside. The hostess leads them to a table at the front of the restaurant, just behind the window that looks out onto the street. There are people milling about on the sidewalk, soaking up the sun as they flit from shop to shop, and Gendry suggests that they window shop for a bit once they’ve finished eating. 

He’s got that stupid look on his face, like he can’t believe his luck, and Arya hates to admit that she unsderstands the sentiment. 

“You’re staring again,” she says, glancing over the top of her menu. 

“I want to kiss you again,” he says. 

Her mind flashes back to the night before, replaying the way his fingertips had trailed over her back, making their way into her hair as his lips met hers. They hadn’t gone any further, just kissed until Gendry folded her into his side and wished her goodnight. Still, Arya can’t help the nerves that flutter in her stomach at the thought of the night ahead. She _wants_ to take that next step with Gendry. She’d be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about his strong arms and calloused hands in the darkness of her bedroom on more than one occasion. 

But there’s that inevitable fear of the unknown and it makes her both giddy and anxious every time she thinks about it.

“Well, there’s nothing stopping you,” she reminds him. 

Gendry rests his elbow on the table as he brings a hand to her cheek and guides her closer for a gentle kiss. It’s nothing too sultry, but it makes her mind go hazy anyway. She’s embarrassed to find that their waitress has materialized at some point during the private moment. 

They quickly order, trying to distance themselves from the awkward interaction. The food is a particular kind of delicious that could only come from a tiny kitchen run by two sisters who’ve lived by the sea their whole lives. The atmosphere is light, once they finish blushing over their poorly timed PDA, and Arya finds that being Gendry’s girlfriend is really no different from being his best friend. There’s the obvious added benefit of getting to hold his hand as they make their way back out onto the street and kissing him under the awning of a flower shop, but their conversations are made up of the same lighthearted banter they’ve always enjoyed.

They find a bakery nestled amongst the various storefronts and Gendry pulls her inside. It smells divine and Arya spots a red velvet cupcake that looks unbelievably delicious. Gendry goes for a slice of key lime pie and they enjoy their desserts on a little table out in front of the bakery. By the time they’ve finished and slowly wandered back to the car, the sun has sunk towards the horizon a bit and the clock on the dashboard tells them it’s late enough in the afternoon for them to check into the inn. 

* * *

Gendry drives this time while Arya uses the navigation on her phone to direct him through the increasingly rural streets. Their destination turns out to be an old farmhouse nestled at the base of a grassy hill. Arya thinks there can’t be more than four or five suites in the place, but they also seem to be the only ones there, so she doesn’t worry about getting stuck with obnoxious neighbors. 

The older woman who checks them in, Mrs. Locke, explains that the inn is a popular option for people taking weekend trips into the coastal town, but Mondays are usually a quiet night. Gendry insists on carrying their bag upstairs, despite Arya’s protests that she’s perfectly capable. When they reach the landing, the innkeeper grabs for her hand, lifting it up far a brief inspection.

She hums in disappointment at something, then drops it. “Figured you two must be a couple of newlyweds with how you carry on,” she laughs.

“Not exactly,” Gendry tells her.

“Well, you come back and stay a while longer when that changes,” she says with a wink. 

Gendry fixes Arya with a heart-stopping look. “We will.”

It’s just two words but it’s so full of promise that Arya feels like she could fly. Two days ago she had thought that she and Gendry would stay best friends forever, living as they had for the past few years until he found someone to take her place in Josie’s life and politely asked her to leave. And now he’s standing in front of her all but saying he plans to marry her, and her head is absolutely spinning. 

Arya takes the key to their room from Mrs. Locke, still half-dazed, but grinning. Once she and Gendry are inside, their usually comfortable silence becomes pointedly not so comfortable and Arya busies herself by shooting her sister a quick text. Gendry is examining their temporary living space and Arya follow suit.

It’s a nice room, decorated simply and in the same cottage style she had noted downstairs. The bed is on a simple wrought-iron frame and made up with cozy-looking white sheets. An image of Gendry laying her down on that bed flashes across her mind and Arya has to look away. 

“I know why Sansa wanted us to come out here,” Gendry says suddenly. 

“Because she’s a hopeless romantic that’s too nosy for her own good?” Arya tries for a laugh but the sound isn’t quite right. For once in her life, Arya doesn’t know exactly where they stand and it makes her feel like she’s out in the water, floating away into the sea.

He sits down on the edge of the bed and reaches for her hand. Once he’s dragged her closer, prompting her to stand between his knees, he looks her right in the eye. “Maybe, yeah. But I’m grateful. Do you know how much I love you, Arya?”

“I think I have an idea.” She suddenly thinks of all the times she’s longed to kiss him, the times she’s wanted to reach out for his hand as they walk with Josie through the park, the times he’s texted her a few words and turned her whole day around. If he had even half as many of those moments with her… 

“I really don’t think you do,” he says with a wistful smile. “But I’d like to show you, if you’ll let me.”

All she can do is nod, so Gendry guides her to sit on his lap, putting them face to face. He studies her for a long moment and Arya has to force herself to hold his gaze despite her nerves. “Do you want to wait? I don’t mind. If you’re not ready…”

_Wait?_ Her brain and body both protest and Arya shakes her head vigorously. “I’ve already waited years for this. I don’t want to wait another night.”   
  


Gendry smiles broadly at her admission, then reaches up to tuck a strand of her hair up behind her ear. “Alright then, no more waiting. Are you still of the pill?”

She nods. Her birth control is currently packed in a container alongside her vitamins, tucked under her clothes in their bag. “Clean too,” she adds. She hasn’t had sex since one of her dates a few years ago turned into a rushed and fumbling hookup a few months after they’d brought Josie home. She’d made it a habit to get tested for STIs at her annual checkups though, and every test since had come back clear.

“Me too. Still, I can go get some condoms if you want.”

She thinks of Josie and wants to laugh. _Fat lot of good they’ve done you in the past_ , she thinks and the image of Josie and a little black-haired baby sister makes her heartbeat stutter. _Maybe someday_ , she tells herself as she takes Gendry’s face in her hands. 

“ _Please_ do not make me wait another second,” she whispers and the flicker of concern on Gendry’s face melts away. 

“As m’lady commands.”  
  


He’s barely said it before he’s wrapping his arm around her waist and flipping her over onto the mattress. Arya lets out a yelp at the sudden movement, then laughs at herself. Gendry laughs too, though all Arya can focus on is the way the light that filters through their sheer curtains is making his eyes look so unbelievably blue. 

He leans down to kiss her and all the breath in her body is quickly gone. She wonders if she will ever tire of kissing him. Probably not, she decides as his lips leave hers and begin trailing down her neck. Then his hands are working their way under her shirt and she can’t really think of anything anymore.

It’s a gentle haze of kisses and clothes coming off after that. She manages to divest Gendry of his shirt, but he has his her naked not long after. He just kisses her, which Arya might find annoying if it didn’t make her feel so impossibly cherished every time his lips meet her skin. He must kiss every square inch of her before settling between her thighs. She’s never cared much for this, but when Gendry’s tongue begins to lap at her folds, she realizes she’s just never been with anyone who’s good at it. 

Gendry is decidedly _very good_ at it, and it’s not long before the masterful work he’s doing between her legs and the scrape of his stubble against the delicate skin of her thighs is dragging her headfirst over the edge of her pleasure. Her fists clench in the bedspread as her thighs begin to quake and Arya’s grateful that there’s nobody next door to hear her cry out at the overload of sensation. 

Gendry hardly lets her catch her breath before he’s hovering over her again, kissing her cheek, her forehead, her nose. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

“Once,” she pants, thinking back to the night she’d found him crying on the floor of their old apartment. 

“Not enough,” he decides. “I should have told you how much I love your hair,” he says, shifting his weight so he can reach up and tuck a stray lock of it behind her ear.

Arya had always found the straight brown tresses so boring, but she loves the shiver that goes down her spine when Gendry runs his fingers through them while he kisses her. Maybe they aren’t so unattractive after all. 

“And your eyes,” he continues, kissing the corner of each of them. “And your smile.” He leans down then, and kisses her fully. His hand skims over the side of her body, tracing the curve of her waist and Arya thinks she might actually combust if he’s not inside her soon. 

“Gendry, please.” Her voice sounds foreign to her own ears. It’s too desperate and breathy and _girly_. 

He rests his forehead against hers and Arya thinks he looks like he’s gathering his strength. Blue eyes open to meet grey and Gendry breathes out his next question. 

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.”

He must have lost his shorts while she was recovering from her earlier orgasm because the only thing between them now is the pair of boxer briefs he’s wearing. It’s not a graceful process, but he’s got them off soon enough and kneels between her thighs fully naked. She always knew he was fit, but in the light that’s sifting through their sheer curtains he looks as though he was sculpted by the gods themselves.

He doesn’t give her as much time as she’d like to admire him, but she doesn’t mind that he distracts her with a kiss. He pulls away for a breath and Arya doesn’t realize why he looks so overwhelmed until he’s pushing into her in one smooth motion that draws a soft groan from each of them.

Even in her guilty fantasies, he never felt so good.

“ _Arya_ ,” he breathes into the crook of her neck and it sounds like half a plea and half a prayer. 

She strokes his hair as she adjusts to the feeling of him being inside her. It’s a perfect sort of fullness that she thinks can’t possibly be improved upon until he starts to move and she realizes how wrong she was. He’s being gentle, moving slowly, but it still feels so all-consuming. Her hand fists in his hair and her legs bracket his hips, calves crossing over his perfect ass in an attempt to keep him close. 

Her body is nearly humming in pleasure but her heart feels so full that it almost distracts her from it. 

“I love you,” she pants, realizing she hasn’t had the chance to say it yet. It’s been true for so long, but now she gets to say it whenever she likes. She loves him and she gets to tell him as much as she wants to.

Gendry leans down for another kiss, though it’s almost searing now, nothing like the languid and romantic kisses they had started out with. “Say it again.”

“I love you.”

He smiles at that, then returns to kissing her neck as he starts to increase his pace. 

She says it as she rakes her nails across his shoulders, and when he brings a hand up to toy with one of her nipples, and when she feels the first little quivers of her orgasm creep up on her. 

_I love you, I love you, I love you._

And then she can’t say anything anymore because she’s unraveling from his sweet, slow torture and her voice is reduced to a gasping exhale as she holds onto him like a lifeline. She’s vaguely aware of the outside world as she drifts through the haze of her orgasm. Gendry’s there, clearer than anything else, still moving inside her. There’s a desperate look on his perfect face and she somehow _knows_ that in one moment, or maybe two, he’ll be lost in the fog with her.

She unclenches the fist that’s buried in his hair and starts running her fingers through it instead, copying the lazy movements with the hand that she has on his back. It takes a precious few moments before he’s burying his face in the crook of her neck and groaning through his release. For a moment he’s dead weight on top of her, though Arya doesn’t mind. Then he seems to remember how much bigger than her he is, and pushes himself up to pull out of her and roll onto his side. 

She feels suddenly incomplete, but Gendry helps by drawing her into his side and kissing her forehead once more. “Remind me to send Sansa a thank you note when we get home.”

“Remind me to send her a box of chocolates,” Arya laughs. “Hand me my phone? I want to see if she’s texted." 

Gendry rifles around in the pockets of her discarded jeans until he finds the device and hands it to her. There’s a text from her sister, as well as a photo of Josie running down the beach in her sundress. She turns the screen so Gendry can see and his face softens at the sight of his daughter.

There’s a short text beneath the picture, which Arya reads off for him. “‘A storm rolled in during naptime and someone couldn’t wait to go play in the fog.’ Is it wrong that I’m offended that she doesn’t miss us at all?”

Gendry laughs and pulls her closer for a kiss. “No, I don’t think so. Although I think this is preferable to her having a total meltdown the second we left.”

Josie’s spent the night at Arya’s parents’ before, so she’s not overly worried, but it _is_ an unfamiliar house full of people that Josie doesn’t see quite as much as Ned and Catelyn. Arya sends her sister a few heart emojis and sets the phone down on the bedside table. _There’s nothing to worry about_ , she reminds herself and tries to relax into the perfect comfort of Gendry’s arms. 

“I can hear you worrying,” he teases. 

“I’m not worried,” she says too quickly.

He responds with a kiss to her temple and a soft laugh. “Yes you are, but I love you for it.”  
  


“I love you too.”

They drift for a long while and Arya almost dozes off, but Gendry’s voice pulls her back. “Can I take you on a date tonight?”  
  
“Did you not already take me on one this afternoon?”

“A _proper_ date,” he says. “With candles and wine and everything.”

The dinner that her parents had set them up on comes to mind and Arya realizes that she doesn’t really care if their dates are ‘proper’ or not. She just needs Gendry. 

He seems very invested in this idea though, so she decides to humor him. “I’d love to go on a proper date with you. But, I need a shower first.”

“Me too,” he agrees. “You know, we should probably shower together…”

“Right, because it saves water.”  
  
“Exactly. We all have to do our part for the planet.”   
  
“Race you there?”

There are still things to discuss, but they can wait another hour or two. There will be plenty of time for discussion over dinner, and before bed, and in the car tomorrow. TIme, she realizes, is something they now enjoy quite an abundance of.

For now, all that matters is Gendry’s laugh and the feeling of his lips on hers under the spray of the shower. 

The messy details can wait until the two of them are clean.


End file.
